Fourteen Years and One Month
by Joei Cassidy
Summary: After walking away two years ago, Elliot Stabler finally has the balls to find Olivia Benson and tell her how he exactly feels about her. Rated M. EO One shot.


Fourteen Years and One Month

**_Author's Note: Law & Order SVU and its characters are not mine. _**

**_Hey dear readers! I know it's been a while since I wrote SVU and so here I am with a one shot. Just wanted to get back into the SVU groove first before continuing you guys' fave stories of mine. _**

**_So here is a new one. It's a one shot. And I hope you guys enjoy it. _**

**_And for all of you who have been asking… I will be finishing all of my unfinished SVU stories. I may have stopped watching SVU…but that's only the new epis. I will keep watching Seasons 1 through 12 again and again._**

**_A reminder – I have no beta so if there are any mistakes – spelling, grammar, etc – do PM me so that I can immediately correct it. _**

**_Thanks guys! And if any of you also like NCIS LA – I have two new stories up for NCIS LA – one is an M rated G Callen fic called "Tonight" and the other is T rated, features Densi and is called "Something There". _**

**_Thanks for reading! Please do take a moment to review after! Thanks again. _**

* * *

It had been a good night in SVU. For the first time in a long time, Olivia had been able to go home relatively early – that is if you call before 9 pm when her shift ended at 7pm, early. Brian was on shift so he wasn't going to be over. In a way she was relieved. It had been a while that she had a night to herself. And the idea of having a glass of wine, bundling up on her couch and catching up on some reading was appealing at the moment.

Olivia inserted her key on the keyhole of her building's door, about to push it open, already tasting the wine and feeling the softness of her couch when suddenly she heard the most unexpected voice behind her. "Liv!"

Olivia's hand froze at the door and her heart began to thud so hard that she thought it was going to jump off her chest. Surely she was hearing things. She fought the urge to turn around. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open. But then there it was again.

"Olivia!"

There was no mistaking it. She had not been hearing things. He was there. He was somewhere behind her. God damn it! She stopped again. But still she did not turn around. Her breathing became rapid.

"Liv." The voice was right behind her now. She knew he was there.

God she wanted to turn around so much. But something was stopping her. Brian. Remember Brian, her brain was screaming loudly. Don't turn around. Walk in. Walk away. Like he walked away from you.

"Liv." He said again.

A soft hand touched her under her left arm. And the moment she felt that touch, tears sprung onto her eyes, unbidden. She could hear the plea in his voice as he said her name a fourth time.

"Please."

There it had been said out loud. Oh God she wanted to give in and turn around. But the hurt and anger that she thought had gone was suddenly back. And it came at her hard.

"I'm sorry." His voice was soft and gentle.

God, how she had missed that voice. How she had missed hearing him say her name. She used to hear it every day. And then suddenly two years ago, it was gone - he was gone. Without a word.

"I know you're angry. You have every right to be. But please just look at me, please."

Olivia shut her eyes, trying to keep her tears at bay. She had still not turned around. Olivia took a deep breath, about to respond but just then the door in front of her was pulled open and another resident came out, distracting her.

She put her hand on the door to keep it from closing, but still she had not moved from the spot.

"Olivia, I miss you."

A tear slid down her cheek and she walked inside. But she didn't close the door behind her. Instead, she kept it open. She walked a few steps and then stopped.

Even now he knew her. He knew her well. He knew that even though she still wouldn't look at him, he knew that was her invitation to go in. And so he did, shutting the door behind him.

When she heard his footsteps approaching, she started to move again. She walked to the elevator and pressed the up button. He walked up and stood next to her. He remained silent, getting his cues from her.

The elevator came and she got in and so did he. She kept her gaze down, to the floor, not acknowledging him but not telling him to go away. He stood on the opposite side, still quiet.

The elevator got to the 4th floor where she got off and he followed her. But he let her go ahead. He understood. He understood what a shock his presence was to her and as much as he wanted her to talk to him, he understood why she was acting the way she was acting right now.

He stopped several feet away from her apartment door. He watched her take her key out and let herself in. Once he knew he was inside, he slowly walked up towards Apartment 4D. He breathed a sigh of relief and small prayer of thanks when he saw that she had left this door open too…for him.

He walked in and the familiarity of it all almost overwhelmed him. Suddenly he was off kilter and his emotions were threatening to crash over him. But he wasn't Elliot Stabler if he couldn't control his emotions. And so control them he did.

He steeled himself. He told himself if she slapped him, shouted at him and threw him out, he deserved it. But after two years, Elliot Stabler finally wanted to be able to tell Olivia the truth. And he could only hope that she would let him.

He looked around not seeing her then. He looked towards her bedroom door and saw that it was slightly ajar, a light shining through the opening.

He stood there in her living room area, just waiting for her. He didn't have long to wait. A few moments later, he saw the light in the bedroom turn off. And suddenly she was there.

Despite the dim light in the apartment, he could see the pained expression on her face. Her arms were crossed over her chest as if to protect herself from the hurt that she was about to feel. His heart broke just a little when she spoke. Her voice was almost lifeless. "Why are you here?"

"I missed you."

"Somehow I doubt that." Olivia looked at him briefly but as he met her eyes, she looked down again.

"Liv." There was that plea again.

"What do you want Elliot? Just spit out and then go." Olivia's voice held a plea too. A different kind but nevertheless it was there too.

"_**Go**_?"

"Yes, **GO**. I'm finally okay. Do you hear me? I'm finally okay." Olivia's voice cracked and Elliot saw her arms tighten around herself.

Olivia bit her lip, telling herself not to cry. She would NOT cry in front of him. He did not deserve her tears.

"Liv…"

"God damn it, Elliot! Why are you here? Did you somehow sense that Olivia is finally okay? That Olivia is finally happy? So now, you come and swoop in and turn my life upside down again!"

"No! I don't want to do that. I never wanted to do that. EVER."

"Well you did. And I'm finally okay. And here you are again."

Elliot had never heard so much hurt come out of her. He had never heard her speak in that tone of voice. And it made him hurt all over. It just hit him just then how much he had hurt her. She didn't deserve that.

Elliot couldn't stay away anymore. He walked quickly towards her and before she could sense and comprehend what he was doing, he enveloped her in his arms, embracing her tightly.

The moment Elliot's arms were around her, Olivia broke down. She began sobbing hard. All the hurt and anger that she had felt when he left without a goodbye, without a word came flooding out. All the hurt and anger that she had felt when days, weeks, months became years without hearing from him – not knowing if he was alive or dead - came spilling out of her. She no longer cared. She wanted to show him. Needed to show him.

She allowed him to hold her for a only a few moments and then she put her hands against his chest and tried to push him away. She succeeded and all at once she was punching him on his chest, crying, sobbing. She had never sobbed this way.

Her punches were painful but Elliot welcomed them. He felt like shit for what he had done to her. He deserved this and more.

Finally her punches diminished until eventually she stopped. When she did, Elliot pulled her into his arms again. This time it was like all the fight had gone out of her and she simply sobbed quietly.

Tentatively, he placed a kiss on her head, wanting to comfort her. But the effect of that action was the opposite. Olivia pushed him away again and in a strangled voice, she said, "Don't you dare!"

"Liv!" Elliot begged.

Olivia forced herself to calm down. She took deep breaths and at last she was able to speak. "Let me repeat my first question, Elliot. What are you doing here?"

"I missed you." Elliot said the statement simply with utmost conviction.

"I don't believe you. What are you doing here?" Olivia's eyes were blazing, her voice told him she was outraged.

"I missed you." Elliot repeated.

"I don't believe you."

He couldn't believe this was Olivia talking. It was almost like talking to a stone wall.

"Okay. What would make you believe me?" Elliot asked. He looked straight into her eyes. The physical distance between them barely a feet but he felt like they were continents apart just then.

Olivia didn't answer. She just stood still, silent once more.

"Liv." The anguish Elliot felt very evident in that single word.

Still, Olivia did not reply. God she wanted to. She wanted to give in. She wanted to tell him it was okay. But she couldn't. She could not get past the two years that he let go by. She needed more than that. What was more than that? She didn't know. Or she knew. She knew what she wanted to hear. But she knew Elliot too. Yes after all the time that had passed, she knew him and she knew that he'd never ever say what she needed to hear.

"Liv." Elliot said again.

When she didn't utter a word again, Elliot decided that if she didn't believe his words, he would show her through his actions.

"Liv." One more time he said her name.

Olivia caught a change in his inflection maybe – he didn't know but whatever it was this time she looked up at him. The moment her gaze caught his, his arms went around her, pulling her flush against him. And before Olivia could protest or push him away again, he had leaned forward and captured her mouth in his.

Olivia's emotions ran an entire gamut the second Elliot's mouth opened hers. First there was shock and then there was elation. Then there was desire – a desire so strong that even though her mind was protesting very loudly, she opened her mouth in response and her tongue found his, beginning a playful sword fight. And then just as suddenly, she felt shock again and then anger at herself and at him. What were they doing? What was she doing? What was _**HE**_ doing?

Once more, Olivia put the palms of her hands against his chest and pushed, tearing her mouth away from his. She stared at him, her eyes blazing just as brightly as his. Their chests heaved up and down as they tried to calm themselves from their swirling emotions.

Olivia brought her wrist up to her swollen lips, wiped them as if to take away the feeling of Elliot's on them and whispered raggedly, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Olivia, I'm done."

"With what?"

"With not telling you how I feel."

"And how do you feel?"

"I love you."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Why?"

"Why? Because you walked away Elliot. You walked away from 12 years of partnership and friendship."

"I know I did. And I'm sorry. But I'm here now."

"So what?"

"So what? Doesn't my telling you I love you mean anything Liv?"

"It would have. A long time ago. Not now."

"Why not?"

"Elliot, I have a boyfriend whom I love. Who loves me. A boyfriend who's always wanted me."

"Who? Cassidy?"

Olivia's eyes suddenly narrowed and she hissed, "How did you know that? Did someone tell you?"

Elliot motioned to a framed picture of the two of them on a side table. "That's how. And that's the frame where OUR picture used to be."

"Used to be being the operative phrase."

"Olivia, I want you. I want to be with you."

Elliot stepped forward and kissed her again. This time though, Olivia pushed him away at once. "God damn you, Elliot. I'm happy! I'm happy for once. I finally got over you! And now you come back and expect me to drop everything for you!"

"No!"

"No? Isn't that the point of telling me all you just did?"

"Olivia – I've always loved you. And I know you love me. _Don't you dare deny it!_ The way you kissed me earlier. That's not the way you kiss someone you're not in love with."

A note of desperation came through. "I love Brian!"

"Why are you lying to yourself, Liv? You could barely stand him years ago. No – I know you love me."

Olivia was breathing hard and then suddenly the light on her lamp caught on something that glinted. And Olivia's eyes widened as she realized that Elliot was still wearing a wedding ring.

"_**HOW DARE YOU! YOU'RE STILL MARRIED**_!" She grabbed his hand, glaring at the offending band before she forcefully dropped it again. "You tell me you love me and want me and you're still married! _**G****ET THE HELL OU****T**_, Elliot! _**PLEASE**_. _**LEAVE ME ALONE!**_"

"No! I can't! I'm telling you the truth, Liv. _**I LOVE YOU**_. And you love me, it is _**WRONG**_ for us _**NOT**_ to be together. We belong together."

All at once, the fight seem to go out from Olivia. Her shoulders slumped and she looked down. Her voice became quiet as she replied, "If we belonged together El, you wouldn't be married."

"I….I…wanted to be sure…" Elliot faltered.

"Be sure of what? Be sure that I felt the same way? Be sure that I'd take you? Is that it? You're staying with Kathy because you don't want to be alone?"

"No!"

"Then what? Why stay if you're not happy?"

"Because she's my obligation."

"Fuck that Elliot. You've been telling yourself that for years. I think even your God wouldn't be okay with you staying in a marriage that everyone is miserable in."

"Fine. Fine. If that's the way it needs to be, I'll call her right now."

At first, Olivia thought that Elliot was bluffing. Bu the next thing she knew, he was pulling out his cell phone from his pocket and he started to dial a number. Olivia knew then he intended to go through with it.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling Kathy." Elliot told her, putting the phone to his ear. "I'm gonna tell her it's over."

"What! Don't you dare me make me be the one to wreck your marriage. End that call now!"

Elliot looked at her for a few moments then did as he was told. "It's too late Liv. You may not have wrecked my marriage but you've already wrecked me."

"What?" Olivia's voice was but a whisper.

"You've wrecked me, Liv."

"What?" Olivia asked again.

"You heard me." Once more Elliot went up to her and he put his hands on her shoulders. "Liv, I love you. I'm in love with _**YOU.**_"

"I have a boyfriend." Olivia told him again in a ragged whisper. "You're too late, El."

"Am I?"

'Yes! He loves me!"

"I love you more." Elliot exclaimed.

With that last statement, Elliot brought his mouth down on hers and started to kiss her again. This time, his hands did not stay put. Instead he cupped her ass in them, pulling her against him.

Olivia capitulated almost at once. She felt his hardened length against her as he held on to her tightly and kissed her senseless.

A moan came out of her and Elliot's cock hardened more at the sound.

Olivia managed to tear her mouth away and tried to push Elliot again. "Fuck you, Elliot."

"I love you Liv and you love me."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do." Elliot insisted and he kissed her again.

Once more Olivia tried to push him away. "Fuck you, Elliot."

Elliot growled and he pulled her tightly against his body again. He didn't kiss her instead he simply looked into her eyes and murmured harshly, "Can you feel how hard I am? Can you feel me Liv? That's how much I want you."

"That's not love, that's lust." Olivia choked out.

"I don't want to fuck you, Liv. I want to make love to you. I want to show you how much I love you."

"You're just saying that coz you want to get into my pants."

"Tell me you don't want me Liv." Elliot told her, his gaze not faltering.

"I don't want you." Olivia told him.

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Oh really? Let's see shall we."

Elliot made a swift motion and the next thing Olivia knew his hand was underneath her bra, feeling a pebbled nipple. Elliot gave a harsh chuckle. "You lied."

"So what? I want you. Doesn't mean I love you."

"You love me Liv. I think if I told you that I simply wanted to fuck you, we'd be in your bed right now, fucking our brains out. But because I told you I wanted to make love to you, we're still here."

"What are you saying?" Olivia demanded.

"I'm saying you love me too. But you don't want to admit it."

"I don't love you."

"Yes you do. Even your body is saying so."

"No I don't." Olivia still insisted.

"Alright, then prove it. Prove that you don't love me."

"How do I prove a negative?"

"I don't know."

"God damn it Elliot!"

"Look me in the eye, Liv. Tell me you never loved me. Tell me you never felt anything for me other than friendship. If you can do that, I'll leave and I will not make love to you."

Olivia looked into his eyes, determined to do that. But then the moment her brown eyes met his sapphire ones, the words died from her mouth and she couldn't say them. "I…I….I can't." Olivia admitted, hanging her head.

Elliot didn't miss a beat. He didn't even stop to savor his triumph. Instead, he literally swept Olivia off her feet, took her into his arms and carried her to her bedroom.

The moment he had laid her down on her bed, he started to undress her until she was completely naked. Hastily, Elliot took off his clothes too. Once all of them littered the floor, he climbed into bed and straddled Olivia kissing her once more.

His hands reached between her legs and his mouth and tongue battled playfully with her mouth and tongue.

Olivia's brain turned into mush. A part of it was still screaming, telling her to stop. But then as Elliot's finger found its way inside her, she gasped and there was no more voice. Only her nerves and synapses screaming in pleasure.

"You're so wet, Liv." Elliot gasped out, his face and chest stained red with arousal.

"Oh God, El, that feels good." Olivia moaned softly.

"God I love you!" Elliot breathed out.

But Olivia didn not seem to be in any mood for any sentimentality or endearments. So instead of telling him that she loved him too, she said, "Fuck me, El. Shut up and just fuck me."

The moment the words were out of her mouth, Elliot suddenly stopped. Olivia opened her eyes and asked, "What?"

"Liv, I told you. I'm not going to fuck you. I'm going to make love to you."

"I…" Olivia began, but she couldn't continue because Elliot's lips were on hers again. His kiss now was not urgent. Instead, it was gentle but still full of passion.

From her lips he made his way to her neck, then to her shoulder then to her chest and finally onto her breast. Once there, his tongue swirled gently on her nipple, making it harden even more. Olivia pushed his face onto her breast, urging him to suck and take it inside his mouth. But he didn't. He took his time – teasing her, pleasuring her – a pleasure that Olivia felt all the way down between her legs. She felt more wetness come out of her. She was dripping.

"El…" Olivia begged. "I want you. Please take me. So wet. Want you inside me now."

"Not yet, Liv. I told you I want to make love to you not fuck you."

"Please…."

'Sssh…"

Elliot kissed her on the mouth, silencing her and once he felt the protest die on her lips, he moved downwards. This time, his mouth found itself on the other nipple. He took the hardened pebble and softly, gently sucked on it.

Olivia gasped with desire and her entire body arched off the bed, making her feel Elliot's raging hard on. God he was huge and hard!

"Elliot…" Olivia begged again.

Elliot looked at her. "Liv, you're so beautiful." Elliot told her, his voice gentle and harsh at the same time.

He trailed kisses beginning from her breast again. He kept continuing until finally his mouth found its way to her core. Elliot inhaled the musky scent of her arousal and found himself hardening even more. He moaned a little. He wanted her so badly. But he wanted to take it slow. He wanted her to know as much as he wanted her physically, he wanted more than that. He wanted to show her that he loved her.

He leaned forward and then almost shyly, he let his tongue graze her wet slit.

From above him Olivia groaned and arched off her bed. "OH GOD!" she exclaimed, her voice ragged with desire.

Elliot wanted nothing more than to just get on his knees and ram his hard cock inside her wet dripping pussy. But he didn't. He simply forced himself to take his time. It didn't matter that his cock was aching so badly, he was going to take this slow.

He licked her slit a second time and then just as she moaned in response, he let one finger enter her, slowly. God she was so wet, but god damn she was tight. Even though it was his finger and not his cock inside her, he could already tell how tight she was. He had to get her ready for him. He was not a small man. And he took pride in his size of 8 inches. But because of that, he needed to get her ready for him. Quickly, he pulled out that one finger and immediately two took the plunge inside her. Olivia uttered a cursed endearment before succumbing to moaning again.

Elliot twisted his fingers and started to go in and out of her. Then he bent down again and as he continued his fingers' assault on her pussy, he brought his mouth down and let his tongue lick her swollen clit.

Suddenly, Olivia's hands were on the back on his head. And she pushed him against her even more. Elliot didn't need any further invitation. He removed his two fingers from inside her pussy and replaced it with his tongue. His tongue began to plunge into her pussy. He tasted her wet folds and then made his way to her clit. He then captured that with his mouth and sucked on it – hard. Olivia all but screamed at the pleasure he was giving her.

"Oh, God, oh God, El…El…El…" Olivia chanted his name, tossing her head back and forth restless as she lay almost helplessly in her bed, her legs spread wide open.

"God, Liv, baby you are fucking delicious." Elliot told her from beneath her.

"Elliot! Shut up and just eat me."

Elliot obeyed at once. Olivia's hands went to the back of his head again and then released it again. Her hands then went to either side of her and as she found herself arching up again, she fisted the sheets of her bed, crumpling them up. Oh dear God, she was gonna come.

Elliot could feel her getting wetter and her moans getting louder and louder by the second told him she was close.

He stopped licking her slit and instead went back to her clit. He took it inside his mouth again and sucked on it. The moment he did that, Olivia let out a growl and suddenly she was shaking and coming. "OH MY GOD! Elliot, I'm I'm coming!" She sat up a little from the intensity of the orgasm and then began to pound on the bed. "Oh, oh, oh! Shit! ELLIOT!"

She was still coming when a moment later, she felt Elliot get up and go on his knees. The next second, she felt Elliot's cock push inside her. Her eyes flew open as she looked down and saw Elliot pushing his huge hard cock inside of her. "OH MY GOD! EL! You're so big and hard."

"You did that, Liv. You did all that." Elliot grunted. "Oh my fucking God, you're so tight and wet.. God you feel so good. My cock feels so good inside you."

Olivia's pussy pulsated and squeezed Elliot's cock.

He roared. "LIV, DO THAT AGAIN. Squeeze my cock."

But instead of obeying Elliot who seemed to be the one now impatient, Olivia simply grinned and using what's left of her strength, flipped them over.

She put her hands on his chest and slowly, she started going up and down his cock.

"Liv, fuck….feels fucking good. Yeah, baby ride my dick good and slow."

Olivia looked down and straight onto Elliot's eyes. Elliot's eyes widened at the sight of her . Her cheeks were flushed from arousal. Her lips were swollen from their kissing and her biting them in her efforts to keep quiet. Her breasts, full and round, her caramel colored nipples hardened into pebbles bounced slightly as she rode him. God she was an erotic sight.

"Liv?"

"Hmmm…." Olivia murmured closing her eyes, allowing herself to feel all of him inside her. He felt so good inside her. So big and hard and thick.

"Liv, look at me."

Olivia opened her eyes and stared at him.

"Liv, I love you."

"I know." Olivia told him. She began to ground her pussy into him faster now.

"Do you love me too? Please say you love me too, Liv?"

Olivia rhythms were becoming faster now. Her breasts bounced hard while her pussy made his hardened length go in and out of her.

"Liv!" There was a desperation in Elliot's tone now.

"Elliot, sssh…hmmmm, your cock feels so good, babe. So hard and thick, hmmm…." Olivia bit her lip as she savored the feeling of fullness and tightness it brought her.

"Liv, I need to hear you say it. Do you love me? Please say you love me."

Olivia did not respond. She simply kept riding him faster and faster. And Elliot could feel his orgasm approach too. He could feel his cock throb inside her as she continued her relentless rhythm and the unforgiving rotation of her hips.

"Oh God, Liv, I'm gonna come!" Elliot told her.

And just as he said that, Olivia's pussy spasmed and squeezed his cock. Elliot let out a yelp and suddenly he was coming. His seed traveled down his length and spilled inside Olivia.

In her head she knew that they hadn't used anything and that letting him come inside her was not a good idea. But she couldn't help it. She wanted all of him. God help her she loved him too and she was going to tell him.

The moment the words left her mouth, "Elliot, I love you too." Olivia's pussy clenched once more and she too was coming. Waves of pleasure overwhelmed her and she leaned down and brought her lips on Elliot's as she continued to orgasm.

Elliot kissed her back hotly and it was only when her orgasm had faded that they stopped kissing. Olivia collapsed on top of him for a few seconds before she got up and lay beside him.

Elliot looked at her. "I love you, Liv."

"I love you too."

He smiled. "It took us 14 years…."

"I know."

"That was amazing, Liv."

"I always knew it would be with you." Olivia confessed.

"I know, I knew the same thing."

"El? What are we gonna do?"

"Well I for one am going to tell Kathy. Maybe not tonight coz she'll probably be asleep when I get home. But tomorrow I will. As soon as we drop Eli off, I will tell her. I promise."

Suddenly Olivia sat up. "I have a bad feeling about this, El."

"Why?" Elliot asked, sitting up too, now.

"We should have ended things with Brian and Kathy before we did this."

"Probably but things with me and Kathy are pretty much over Liv. It's just that none of us wanted to take that step and be the one to file."

"But things were going great with me and Brian."

"Were they really?"

"Yes! He loves me!"

"You keep saying that. And I am sure he does. But do YOU love him?"

"Yes I do!" Olivia insisted.

"As much as you love me?" The question was said without arrogance.

"I…I…I think so."

"No you don't Liv. You want to love him as much as you love me. But you don't. You never have. You never will." Again the statement was said so simply and without arrogance that Olivia could not be angry with him.

"He's good to me El."

"Kathy's good to me too. But it isn't enough Liv. I want not just friendship, I want passion."

"Me, too." Olivia whispered.

"And we have that."

"You think so?" Olivia asked.

Elliot chuckled and put his arm around her, pulling her close. "I think we just proved that didn't we?"

"El?"

"Hmmm…." Elliot kissed her softly on the forehead.

"Can you give me time?"

A slight frown came up on Elliot's face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I need to figure things out. I need to deal with Brian. And you need to deal with Kathy too."

"Like I said Liv, Kathy and I were over a long time ago."

"I know but still you need to actually separate from her."

Elliot sighed. He knew that Olivia was only telling him the truth. "I suppose but…"

"El, I don't like this either. But if we are going to be together, I want us to be together in the right way. Not like this. We both just cheated on our partners."

"You're my partner, Liv. You always have been."

"I know that, El, but you know what I mean, right?"

Reluctantly, Elliot nodded "Yeah."

The two of them were quiet for a few minutes. And then Elliot spoke up. "So a month?"

"Yeah." Olivia looked at him, nodding.

"Am I allowed to see you before that?"

"I don't think it's a good idea, El."

"Why not?"

"Look, we've already waited 14 years. What's one more month? I just want to make sure that this is what we both want."

"I know it's what I want Liv. I want you. I love you. One more month isn't going to change that. I hope you don't change your mind either." Elliot looked worried now.

"El, you know I love you. But I just need one month. You've got to trust me."

"I do. I hope you trust me too – if not right now, then soon."

Olivia nodded. "So how about this? Let's make it romantic. Why don't we meet in that little park across Barnes & Noble in Lincoln Center in a month at say 6pm? If you show up – it means that you've truly decided to be with me and all your loose ends are taken care of and same with me."

"Hmmmm…okay. I'm good with that." Elliot agreed.

"Great. Why don't we put that on our calendars then and set reminders. I don't want to have remembered and you forgot."

Elliot smiled and answered, "I won't forget Liv."

"Well just in case." Olivia reached over to her nightstand and got her iPhone. Elliot leaned over the bed and grabbed his pants, getting his own iPhone out. Together they put it on their calendars and set reminders.

"There." Elliot remarked, putting the phone on the night stand. "We good?"

"Almost." Olivia told him, smiling and turning towards him again.

"Almost?"

"Yeah, almost. Now that's settled, I want you to make love to me again, Elliot Stabler."

Elliot gave a shout of laughter and pulling Olivia down, he began to kiss her and then proceeded to make love to her a second time that night.

* * *

**_A month later…._**

Elliot was at the little park across Barnes & Noble Lincoln Center. He glanced at his watch nervously. Five minutes before 6 pm. In a few minutes he'd know whether Olivia was coming or not.

It had been a hard month. He remembered the day he had told Kathy even now very clearly.

When he had gotten home from Olivia's it had been very late. It had been past 1 am. And as predicted, Kathy was asleep.

The next day, right after they had taken Eli to daycare, Elliot and Kathy who were both off then, talked. Finally Elliot was honest with his wife. She had gone from sad, angry, outraged and acceptance all in that day and for that Elliot was grateful. He was grateful not because he had enjoyed it but because she was honest in her feelings.

That very night he had moved out. The hardest thing about leaving Kathy was leaving Eli. Fortunately, after Kathy had calmed down, she had agreed to file the divorce papers and share custody of Eli. Elliot told her he wanted her to be the one to file and he wouldn't contest it. He also told her that they can split their assets 50-50. And again, Kathy didn't argue.

So he guessed he had been lucky and he hoped that today his luck continued .

He glanced at his watch. 1 minute till 6 pm.

Olivia was inside Barnes & Noble. She forced herself not to look outside until the last minute. At 5:59 she went down from the upstairs section and made her way outside the bookstore. She tried to be unobtrusive and literally kept her head down.

She hoped that she didn't make a mistake by being here, by choosing Elliot and leaving Brian. It had been heartwrenching breaking up with him.

She did not tell him that she had cheated on him but she had told him that Elliot had come back and told her what she had been waiting to hear from him all of these years. It broke her heart to see the defeat in Brian's face. He didn't argue. He didn't really fight for her. And this bothered her. So much so that she asked why. And what he said only proved to her that she was doing the right thing now. He said that he wasn't fighting this – that he wasn't fighting for her – because there was nothing to fight for. She had never been his. It was like she was just on loan to him – until the person she was meant to be with showed up again. And he already had.

The two of them cried that day. She remembered walking out of her apartment as Brian packed up the things he had already started to leave there. She had kissed him one last time and told him she couldn't take being there seeing him erase his presence. Brian understood and had let her leave.

When she came back to her apartment, it still held the smell of Brian but all of the things that was his were gone. She looked at the standing frame on her side table and saw that the picture of Elliot and her was back. She had never actually removed that picture. She just put hers and Brian's over it.

She had started crying when she realized it was over with Brian. He was a great guy. A good cop. A nice boyfriend. But he wasn't Elliot. And she knew deep down, Brian would never make her truly happy. Not because he was a bad boyfriend but simply because of who he wasn't.

Olivia took a deep breath and pushed the exit door open. She quickly glanced across to the little park and broke into a big smile.

She saw him the same time he saw her.

He was about to run to her but she called out to him, "No, stay there!"

So Elliot stayed put and a minute later she was there in front of him. "Wow, you showed up!" Elliot said, a little breathless from the excitement of seeing her.

"Yeah, you too."

"I told you I would."

"Yeah but…."

"I know you don't trust me…"

"It's not that."

"Then what?"

"30 years of marriage is a lot to walk away from."

"I know."

"But?"

"I'm walking into something even better."

"I hope so."

"You and Cassidy?"

"Done."

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah. But you were right. I want to settle down but I don't want to settle. If I stayed with him, I'd be settling. And I deserve more than that."

"Yes you do."

The two of them looked at each other and smiled.

"I love you, Liv." Elliot told her, taking her hand in his.

"I love you too, El."

With that, Elliot brought his lips onto her and kissed her, right there in the middle of Manhattan. When they broke apart, Elliot exclaimed, "Wow I can't believe that finally after 14 years and 1 month you are finally mine."

"I – "

Before Olivia can complete her statement, a middle aged woman nearby exclaimed, "It took you 14 years to get together?"

Olivia laughed. "Yes, ma'am. Actually 14 years and 1 month to be exact!"

"My God!" The woman exclaimed. And suddenly to Olivia and Elliot's horror and delight, the woman started to shout, "Hey everyone these two over here are finally together after 14 years and 1 month. 14 years and 1 month! Wow!"

At that the crowd around them began to cheer, whistle and clap. Olivia blushed and smiled while Elliot grinned from ear to ear. When the cheering and clapping subsided and the crowd had dispersed, the middle aged woman told them, "Well good luck you guys. Girl – he's hot make sure you keep him on a leash. And you – she's gorgeous – sexy and legs for miles – make sure you treat her right. Okay?"

"Yes ma'am." Elliot told her, still grinning.

"Yes, ma'am." Olivia echoed.

"Good luck you two." The woman repeated and with a last wave, she went on her way.

"So what now Mr. Stabler?" Olivia asked turning to him.

"Hmmm…how about dinner? I haven't taken you out on a date yet."

"Dinner sounds awesome." Olivia answered.

Elliot took her hand in his and then moving towards the subway, he said, "Shall we?"

"We shall." Olivia said.

The two of them went into the subway, ready for dinner and more than that, ready to be together and start a new chapter in their lives.

. . .

END

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**_Thank you for reading!_**


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